Jury to begin deliberating in competency hearing

A jury is expected to determine Thursday if a 17-year-old is competent to stand trial.

The hearing involving Derrick McKenzie, who is charged with aggravated assault of a public servant, introduced more witnesses Wednesday, including two psychologists.

McKenzie is accused of beating a Mid-Coast Family Services counselor while at the Victoria Regional Juvenile Justice Center in September.

Prior to the incident, the Fayette County man escaped from a New Waverly detention facility and stabbed to death his uncle's girlfriend while still handcuffed. He also faces an aggravated robbery charge in another case.

The psychologists' testimonies delved further into the mind of McKenzie and his ability to manipulate and lie. Jurors also listened to a phone conversation McKenzie had in January with his brother.

"If a person can give a reliable history, then he should be able to tell their attorney about things," said Dr. Joel Kutnick, a Georgetown psychologist, about his interviews with McKenzie.

Kutnick examined McKenzie in October and does not fully agree with the finding of another psychiatrist, Dr. Harold Scott, who found McKenzie to have schizoaffective disorder bipolar type.